Flowers in focus at the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory
The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, completed in 1888, has been opened to the public for 127 years. Located in Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park, it is the second oldest glass conservatory in America.
Originally The Baltimore Conservatory, it was renamed in 2004 after an extensive renovation funded by the state, Baltimore City, the Baltimore Conservatory Association and city residents. The conservatory is operated and maintained by city workers and a group of dedicated volunteers.
- The fruits of an Indian Fig, Opuntia ficus-indica. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The seed pod of the cactus, Mammillaria karwinskiana, ssp.nejapensis. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The trunk of the Lacy Tree Fern. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The leaf of the “Swiss Cheese” plant, Philodendron monstera oblique. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The last remaining leaves on a branch of a Madagascar ocotillo or Alluaudia procera. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The hairy branch of an Australian Tree Fern. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- A water droplet clinging to the hair of a Silver Torch Cactus after a simulated monsoon storm. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The leaves of a Sago Palm. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The fiddlehead of an Australian Tree Fern before its unfolding. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The flower buds of the “Buddha Belly Plant” Jatropha podagrica. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The flower of a Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- A stalk of black fruits of the Chamaedorea metallica “Metallic Palm.” (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The flower of the “Buddlha Belly Plant” Jatropha podagrica. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The leaves of a Ruffled Fan Palm, Licuala grandis. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The Blue Sansevieria, Sansevieria ehrenbergii. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- A thorn pierced the flower of a Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia milii. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The flower cluster, cyathium, of a Bavarian Pinwheel Poinsettia. Nectar produced by the mouth-like nectar gland on the side of the cyathium attracts insects to the flower-head. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The flowers of a Strawberry Arbutus, Arbutus “Marina.” (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- Ants are attracted by nectar produced by the mouth-like nectar gland on the side of the cyathium, flower cluster of a Bavarian Pinwheel Poinsettia. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
- The flower of a Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)
The conservatory’s large open space allows for the display of large tropical plants. However, some of the most interesting and challenging pictures to take are of the small flowers and seed pods. By using macro lens, I was able to get close-up photos of them and of the interesting growth patterns of some of the desert plants. The overhead glass panels allow for good lighting to photograph the various interesting views of the larger plants.
Year-round displays of flowers and plants from around the world can be viewed in five exhibit areas.
• The original 50-feet tall Palm House has 175 window panes houses exotic palms.
• The Orchid Room features a rotation of blooming orchids from around the world.
• The Mediterranean House has olive and citrus that are February bloomers.
• The Tropical House contains a waterfall pond with aquatic plants and gold fish and showcases various fruit-bearing plants such as banana, guava and papaya.
• The Desert House contains the conservatory’s arid climate plants — the agave, various cacti, euphorbias and Joshua tree. This room features an irrigation system that simulates a desert monsoon storm that help produce wild and colorful blooms on spiky cacti soon after watering.
There is a special Holiday display until January 3 showing and selling of poinsettias in various colors of red, orange, pink with white and variegated.